BULLETIN NO.: MGR-98-011 TO: All Reinsured Companies All Risk Management Field Offices FROM: Kenneth D. Ackerman /s/Kenneth D. Ackerman 5-18-98 Administrator SUBJECT: 1998 Fall Insurance Period for the Guaranteed Production Plan of Fresh Market Tomatoes BACKGROUND: The Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued new Guaranteed Production Plan of Fresh Market Tomato Crop Provisions for the 1998 crop year that allowed coverage of tomatoes planted in both the spring and fall planting periods. Previously RMA insured only the tomatoes planted during the spring planting period. As the new provisions were being developed, numerous requests were received to allow coverage for tomatoes planted during the fall planting period since it was a recognized practice. The final rule published on May 1, 1997, specified that the calendar date for the end of the insurance period was September 20 in all States, except California. At that time RMA had not discovered that the September 20 calendar date for the end of the insurance period was too early for fall planted tomatoes. The Special Provisions for the 1998 crop year for the Guaranteed Production Plan of Fresh Market Tomatoes provide a fall planting period with a final planting date of August 20 for Florida and Georgia. This creates an insurance period that may be no more than 31 days for tomatoes that require approximately 70 days to mature. Therefore, the end of the insurance period date needs to be revised for these and other States to accommodate present and future fall planting periods and the expansion of the Guaranteed Production Plan of Fresh Market Tomato coverage to other States. ACTION: Effective for the 1998 crop year, the calendar date for the end of the insurance period will be October 15, rather than September 20, in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Virginia; and November 10, rather than September 20, in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. A correcting amendment, effective for the 1998 and succeeding crop years, will be published in the Federal Register. The crop provisions will be revised to incorporate this correction and will be reissued for the 1999 crop year. RMA/R&D/PDD:LouiseNarber:emp:816/926-7387:04/20/98:s\amrd\ud\mgrtomc2.wpd Final:adw:720-5290/5-14-98 CC: RMA COMPLIANCE OFFICES RMA REGIONAL SERVICE OFFICES FSA (ATTN: JOHN STENCEL, FAX: 202-690-2823; PH: (202) 690-2807, RM. 3096 - S MANDY WELTON, FAX: 202-205-2953; PH: (202) 720-6803 DIANE SHARP, FARM PROGRAMS, FAX: (202) 690-2130 NATIONAL CROP INSURANCE SERVICES AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CROP INSURERS CROP INSURANCE RESEARCH BUREAU NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CROP INSURANCE AGENTS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS LINDA VICKERS CNA ATTENTION: CINDY ANDERSON COMPLIANCE MANAGER FAX # (913) 661-7667 HAWKINS, HAWKINS, AND BURT ATTN: DAVID BURT - FAX 904-258-1311 501 SOUTH RIDGEWOOD AVENUE DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32114 CC: K. ACKERMAN IS - PLEASE ROUTE MGR/CHRON DAM-RSO SDITTRICH DIRECTOR/FUS - PLEASE ROUTE MMULUGETA DIRECTOR/CS - PLEASE ROUTE HBAKER/RSD - PLEASE ROUTE GWESTMORELAND/COMPLIANCE--PLEASE ROUTE LDITTUS/ENAP - PLEASE ROUTE DMOSLAK/REGULATORY CC: KANSAS CITY OFFICES: TWITT/R&D--PLEASE ROUTE TIM HOFFMANN - PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT DIVISION VONDIE O'CONNER, RESEARCH AND EVALUATION DIVISION ACTUARIAL DIVISION FISCAL OPERATIONS AND SYSTEMS DIVISION AGILMORE/AMC-PLEASE ROUTE LCUSICK/PD/EDB